Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office rolls out new policing drones

The future of policing has arrived in Natchitoches Parish, and it hums, hovers, and politely refuses to crash into trees. The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office has officially unveiled its new drone program, a move officials say took months of research, conversations, and careful planning to get right, as KALB reports.

This is not a last minute gadget purchase. It is a deliberate step into modern law enforcement, with safety doing most of the talking.

According to NPSO Sergeant Eric Mogridge, the goal is simple and very human. Keep deputies safer while gathering better information.

“If we can put eyes on a threat before anybody actually has to step in front of it, that’s one less thing those guys have to worry about,” Mogridge said. Translation for civilians: fewer surprises, fewer risks, and fewer moments where someone walks blindly into trouble.

Two drones, two jobs, zero spy movie vibes

NPSO currently operates two different types of drones, each built for a specific role. One is a rugged indoor drone designed for tight spaces and high risk situations, such as SWAT operations. This is the drone that does not panic when walls get close and furniture starts flying.

“That one’s robust and it’s supposed to be able to take a beating,” Mogridge explained, which is law enforcement code for “this drone has seen things.”

The second drone is the department’s high tech workhorse, and it is the one getting most of the attention. Just like we keep seeing in DFR programs across police departments all over the United States, NPSO’s outdoor platform is the Skydio X10.

If that name sounds familiar to DroneXL readers, it should. The X10 has become the gold standard for public safety agencies that want eyes in the sky without turning pilots into full time joystick athletes.

Mogridge described it as “pretty high tech,” which might be the understatement of the year. The Skydio X10 features advanced obstacle avoidance, autonomous flight capabilities, and modular payloads.

It is so good at not crashing that it almost feels smug about it. This drone can nearly fly itself, which is great news for deputies and terrible news for trees hoping to collect another drone trophy.

The X10 also comes equipped with a speaker and a spotlight, making it ideal for search and rescue missions, major events, pursuits, and vehicle collisions. If you hear a calm robotic voice calling out instructions during a rescue, do not panic. That is just the drone doing its job.

Privacy, FAA rules, and please do not shoot the drone

Whenever law enforcement introduces new technology, privacy concerns follow closely behind. NPSO is well aware of that and is trying to get ahead of the narrative.

“We’ve got this capability, and we’re not here to spy on you,” Mogridge said. “We want to be able to be safe. We want you guys to be safe.”

The department is required to follow the same FAA regulations that apply to civilian drone pilots, including maintaining visual line of sight during operations. Like many agencies operating Skydio X10 platforms for DFR style missions, NPSO is currently filing for a waiver to fly over large crowds. This is especially relevant for major local events.

One thing the sheriff’s office made very clear is that drones are not fair game for target practice. Shooting down or damaging a law enforcement drone can lead to federal charges, and under state and local law it counts as destruction of property. In other words, the drone will not lose that fight, even if it looks small and harmless.

If residents are concerned about a nearby drone, NPSO asks that they call dispatch rather than confront it directly. Yelling at a flying robot rarely ends well.

Christmas festivals, crowd monitoring, and fewer surprises

So when can residents expect to see these drones in action? Mogridge hinted that one of the first high visibility deployments will likely be during Natchitoches’s famous Christmas festivals, where large crowds gather along the riverside.

The idea is not constant surveillance, but situational awareness. Having a Skydio X10 overhead allows deputies to monitor crowd flow, respond faster to incidents, and spot problems before they escalate. Think of it as an extra set of very calm, very patient eyes that never blink.

“We want to keep everybody safe,” Mogridge said. “We want to make sure that we can keep our eyes on everything and keep surprises from happening.”

Given how often surprises are the worst part of policing, that is a goal most people can get behind.

DroneXL’s Take

Natchitoches Parish joining the growing list of agencies deploying Skydio X10 drones is no surprise at all. Across the country, DFR programs are gravitating toward Skydio because autonomy reduces pilot workload and increases safety, both for officers and the public.

The emphasis on privacy, FAA compliance, and community communication is also encouraging. If drones are going to be part of everyday policing, transparency matters as much as technology.

And honestly, if the future of law enforcement includes fewer risky blind entries and more intelligent flying robots that refuse to crash, that sounds like progress, not science fiction.

Photo credit: KALB, Skydio.